Discuss Harbor of Spies by Robin Lloyd:Before reading this book, were you aware that foreign countries were interested in the outcome of America's Civil War and attempted to interfere? Did you know about Cuba's role in the conflict? Does knowing this change your perception of current events?

Created: 05/17/18

Replies: 5

Posted May. 17, 2018
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davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 1691

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Before reading this book, were you aware that foreign countries were interested in the outcome of America's Civil War and attempted to interfere? Did you know about Cuba's role in the conflict? Does knowing this change your perception of current events?

Before reading Harbor of Spies, were you aware of the foreign interest in the outcome of America's Civil War, and their attempts to interfere? Did you know about Cuba's alignment with the Confederacy and the role the island played in the conflict? Does knowing this change your perception of current events?

Posted May. 22, 2018
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bobbie7

Join Date: 09/19/13

Posts: 56

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Impact of emancipation on the US and Cuba tied

One of the most interesting thing about the book was realizing that the outcomes and repercussions of the Civil War was not confined to the US. The fact that the whole economy of Cuba was predicated on slavery, as was the American South, was a revelation, and that the emancipation of the slaves in the US would impact Cuba so severely

Posted May. 23, 2018
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kathryns

Join Date: 08/18/15

Posts: 9

No idea!

I had no idea of the involvement of other countries in the Civil War! This book was an eyeopener for me, even though I was steeped in Civil War lore throughout my childhood.I had ancestors who fought on both sides (North and South) and even have a quilt that was made from fabric that came into the south through the blockade! I had no idea of the role that Cuba played in "The War"

Posted May. 24, 2018
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monicap

Join Date: 05/17/16

Posts: 7

Learning something new

I really hadn’t thought much about the effect of our Civil War on other countries. I thought this was most interesting part of the book. I was continually researching things I was reading about Cuba’s part in the Civil War. A good book is one that teaches you something you didn’t know. This one really did that for me.

Posted May. 24, 2018
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ruthiea

Join Date: 02/03/14

Posts: 117

Expert

Did you know about Cuba's role in the conflict?

I really never even thought about it - bit it makes sense, especially if they were countries where slavery is still in effect. The slave countries must have felt the need to band together to support their heinous practices that were becoming illegal elsewhere. The fact that the slave traders were kidnapping freed slaves and destroying their identities was something I just recently learned about (12 Years A Slave), and the practice is so horrific - I cannot imagine finally gaining your freedom and then having your freedom and your identity snatched away...

Posted May. 26, 2018
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marionw

Join Date: 05/26/18

Posts: 1

Not just "a guy book"!

Not having grown up in the States, and with only a one year's course in American history at a community college, I was extremely interested in the aspect of the slavery situation. I too hadn't realized that the Civil War was of such vital interest internationally, and that so many countries were siding with the South, because theireconomies depended upon the continuation of the slave trade and that work force. Britain had abolished the slave trade in 1807 and British colonies had followed suit in 1833, yet the acceptance of what was happeningelsewhere seemed to be regarded as an inevitable necessity. This was an extremely interesting part of this novel---that and the fact that I'd been concerned about its possibly being just "a guy book"!